


The Knight and the Blacksmith

by Bright_Sea



Series: Sheith Summer Week [7]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blacksmith Keith, Blood and Injury, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Knight Shiro, M/M, Sheith Positivity Week 2017, nothing too bad though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-09 01:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11659164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bright_Sea/pseuds/Bright_Sea
Summary: Sheith Summer Week | Day 7 | Free DaySir Shirogane is traveling to the castle of Altea for a new start when he bumps into a blacksmith in need of protection.





	The Knight and the Blacksmith

**Author's Note:**

> Today is sadly the last day of Sheith week so this will be my last entry for this series. It won't be my last Sheith fic though. I'll be posting plenty more in the future. Thanks for reading <3

Arus, all in all, was beautiful. Its fields were luscious with wheat and its forests were green and thriving. It was a breathtaking sight and practically heaven compared to some of the other kingdoms Shiro had been.

Owls hooted high above in the forest Shiro walked through with his horse trotting lightly by his side. It would be getting dark soon and Shiro figured the cover of the forest was better than nothing when it came to shelter. Even though Arus was beautiful and peaceful, it still had its dangers.

“What do you think, Black?” Shiro asked his horse, patting its head gently. “See anywhere you want to bed?”

“There’s a nice patch a few miles—”

Startled, Shiro whirled around and pointed his weapon up at the stranger perched carelessly against the trunk of an old oak tree. The man, to Shiro’s surprise, had no reaction to the sudden attack. He just stood there munching away on a shiny red apple.

The tip of Shiro’s blade pressed harder against the man’s throat but even with the bite of sharp metal against his skin, the man still refused to cower.

“Who are you?” Shiro questioned through gritted teeth. “A bandit?”

“No, worse.” The stranger took a bite of the apple. “I’m a blacksmith.” He chuckled to himself, flashing Shiro a wink. “So don’t worry, handsome, you’re safe.”

“Blacksmith?”

Shiro looked the man up and down. His hair was jet black like his own and was tucked in a high ponytail to keep the wavy strands out of his eyes. Those eyes were calm and unafraid, something that struck Shiro as odd since the man was seconds away from losing his head. He had nothing to protect him with either. The only weapon Shiro could see on him was a blade strapped to his belt but the young knight knew better than to think that was all the stranger had on him. Why else would he be so calm?

“I’m job hunting at the moment.” The stranger let out a sigh which was quickly followed by a yawn. “Why is a long story and one I rather not chat about,” he explained after a beat. “I doubt you want me holding you up with my work drama anyhow.”

Shiro huffed, a smirk playing at his lips. “I suppose,” he answered. “I take it you're heading to Castle Altea then?”

The man clapped his hands. “Well guessed,” he praised. “And I'm sure I could guess the same for you too, right? How lucky are we that our paths crossed?”

“Lucky?”

  
The man nodded and pushed himself off the tree he had been leaning against to walk over to a thick cover of brush. A second later, the man pulled a cart out, revealing a huge amount of metals and other goods. “These woods are spilling with bandits,” he started to explain. His eyes flickered down the path they both had ahead of them. “With all this, I'm sure to get robbed.”

“You want protection?”

“Yep.”

“And if I say no?”

The man stepped closer, tapping his finger against the crest on Shiro’s armor. “I'll put in a good word for you when I get to the castle and—” He grimaced and glared down at the sword hooked to Shiro’s side. “I'll make you a sword— free of charge.”

Shiro frowned. “What's wrong with this one?”

“Trust me,” the blacksmith huffed. “That sword is garbage compared to what I can forge.”

The knight glanced down at his sword. It wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t even a family heirloom. No, it was just some weapon Shiro had made before setting off for his travels. He had to admit that it wasn’t the best sword he ever held. The balance was slightly off and the grip of the handle just wasn’t quite the right fit to his hand. Honestly, a free sword was quite tempting.

A sigh fluttered from Shiro’s lips and he gave the blacksmith a nod. “Okay,” he relented. “Deal.”

The blacksmith tossed his apple and held out the now free hand. “I’m Keith by the way,” he introduced with lips drawn up in a small smile.

Shiro stared at the offered hand. “Sir Shirogane, Sir Takashi Shirogane,” he answered and he took the hand given to him, squeezing it tight.

“Takashi, huh?”

“I’d rather you use my last name.”

Keith shrugged. “How about Shiro then?” He smirked and said the nickname again. “Sir Shiro,” he said with a roll of his tongue. “I like it.”

Shiro didn’t comment. Instead, he looked back to the sky where stars were slowly starting to scatter. “You said there was a clearing near?” he asked a little too impatiently.

Keith waved a hand at the path. “I’ll lead the way.”

-

As night swallowed Arus whole, Shiro and Keith bunked down in a clearing deep within the forest. It was cold out but the two refused to build a fire. They knew better. Bandits were more active in the night and a fire’s light would draw them in like moths to a flame.

Instead, Shiro and Keith sat under one of the tarps in Keith’s cart together. They kept close to each other, drinking in what little heat their bodies gave off.

Too wired to sleep just yet, they found other ways to pass the time. One of these was telling stories as they sat in the dark. They weren’t anything too childish like ghost stories or fairy tales. They told true stories, most of them being so ridiculously funny the two’s booming laughter was starting to seem more of a threat than a fire’s light.

“You're kidding,” Keith croaked. His voice was hoarse and his cheeks were rosy from laughing at Shiro’s current story. “Your horse did that?”

Shiro nodded. “Black can be very protective.”

Keith glanced over at the black horse where she was resting. A bag of oats sat in front of her and she nibbled lightly, her big dark eyes once and awhile drifting to the blacksmith and her master to watch them.

“Well, I'll make sure not to mess with her master then.” Keith winked at Shiro. “Not much anyway.”

The knight let out a chuckle and they both fell into a short silence as they searched their memories for more to discuss. Shiro himself had paved through the majority of his more embarrassing stories and was finding it hard to think of another.

His eyes fell down to the blade strapped to Keith’s belt as he searched for something in his memories to bring up. He couldn't concentrate though for his curiosity had been peaked by the odd looking weapon.

“Is that one of yours?” the knight asked. “One of the weapons you forged?”

Indigo eyes traveled down to the blade that had caught Shiro's attention but there was no pride in them as they looked at the weapon.

“No.” Keith's words were soft. “It's my mother’s.”

This was dangerous water, Shiro could tell. Since first meeting Keith the man kept his emotions in check. He didn’t show fear when a sword was being poked against his skin but now there was almost a sad look in his eye as he looked at the blade.

Curiosity peaked, Shiro couldn't help but ask more. “She was a smith then?” He ducked his head, trying to catch Keith's eye. “Did she teach you?”

“I taught myself,” Keith revealed and pulled the blade from his belt to hold to the light. It was then that Shiro noticed that the handle was covered by thick, grayish wrappings. “My mother...well I never really knew her.” He forced a smile at Shiro and waved the blade slowly. “This is all she left me.”

Guilt thrummed painfully in Shiro’s chest. “I'm sorry.”

Keith shook his head. “Don't be.” He put the blade back then, the tension draining from his body as Shiro didn’t push for more. “I've had it tough but everything seems to be working out now.”

“How so?”

The blacksmith bumped his and Shiro’s shoulders together. “I got to meet a big handsome knight didn't I?” he teased. “I thought that was everybody's dream?”

A blush scattered over Shiro's cheeks and loud laugh boomed from Keith’s lips, drowning out whatever answer the knight could manage to give.

-

When the sun started to rise, Shiro and his new companion were off. They tied Black up to Keith’s small cart so she could help pull it down the path. She snorted and huffed in protest, of course, but accepted her fate when Keith bribed her with a fat red apple.

“How long do you think till we reach the gates?”

Shiro looked up, squinting through the cracks of the forest canopy to get a look at the blazing summer sun above.

“Well, Sir Shiro?”

The knight looked back to the winding trail with a sigh. “All day,” he guessed. “If we don't run into trouble, we should make it by dusk.”

“If we don't run into trouble,” Keith huffed and his eyes scanned the trees and brush around them. “Let's hope luck’s on our side.”

“You said it was the other night,” Shiro reminded.

Keith hummed in agreement. “Yeah but that was yesterday.” He grimaced then, eyes snapping somewhere behind them. “Today is a new day.” He waved his fingers slowly, gesturing Shiro to look back too.

The knight did, eyes tracking over the road they were slowly leaving behind. At first, he saw nothing. All there was were trees and brush. And then, he saw it. The sun above shown through the canopy and something large and metallic shown bright in the shadows of the forest.

Swears sounded from Shiro’s lips and he turned back around, fingers gripping at his sword. “How long?”

“Not long,” Keith whispered. “About twenty minutes now.”

Twenty minutes wasn't long but it was still enough time for a group of bandits to take in their prey and surround them. They had to act fast or—

An arrow flew through the air, whistling right between the knight and blacksmith.

Black whinnied in fright as it too flew past her head and Keith quickly nudged Shiro, panic in his purple-blue eyes.

“Go! Go! Go!”

Shiro slapped the reins in his hands, urging Black to break into a run. She did, letting out a shrill cry of her own before pounding down the dirt road as fast as her legs could carry her.

It was then that the bandits decided to show themselves. They ran out of the shadows, weapons raised and ready for battle. The cowards wore masks, hiding their identities from the men they wished to rob.

Fear pushed to the back of his mind, Shiro moved. He quickly tied down Black’s reins, having full trust in the animal to carry them to safety on her own.

With Black taken care of, he jumped to his feet and hurried to the edge of the cart.

Keith followed, dagger in hand as he stepped onto the edge of the cart beside Shiro. “What’s the plan, Shiro?” he shouted.

“I'm going to run alongside the cart,” Shiro revealed. “I’ll take down these guys before they can reach it. If they get past me, I'm sorry but you'll have to try and take them out yourself.”

“Sounds good to me!”

Shiro jumped out of the cart then and into the dirt. Keith saluted him as he fell and the knight would have reciprocated the gesture if he didn’t have four masked men coming right at him.

Bandits were on Shiro in seconds. They carried swords, axes, and even spiked flails. Their eyes burned with fire and promised no mercy for the knight and his companion.

Shiro showed no mercy right back.

The blade Keith had shown his disgust for just the other night, butted bandit after batted in the face with its handle opened their bellies with its blade. Despite not being the sword of Keith’s expectations, in Shiro’s hands, it still did its job.

Still, it wasn't enough.

A bandit rushed past Shiro while he was distracted with the others, hurtling himself up and into the cart Keith was waiting in.

Shiro swore at his mistake and quickly took down the last two bandits and hurriedly ran for the cart, fearing what he’d see when he'd finally reach it.

Terrible images flashed deep within the depths of the knight’s mind as he ran. He saw Keith slumped against the side of the cart covered in his own blood or held at knife point.

Shiro shook himself, forcing his gaze back to the cart. He was closer now enough to see—

Shock thrummed through the knight’s veins. What he saw in the cart was not the horrors his mind had conjured up moments ago. What he saw instead was Keith kicking the bandit’s ass like he himself was the knight of their party of two.

Graceful wasn't enough to describe how Keith moved as he took down the bandit. The smith rolled over the wood floor of the cart like a water droplet on a leaf and his body flexed and swayed like that of a strand of grass. He got in hit after hit, a bruise to the jaw being the only evidence that the bandit had thrown anything at him.

He was breathtaking.

  
With a broken cry, the bandit in the cart was kicked in the chest and thrown out into the brush to join his disembodied brethren.

Shiro watched in awe as Keith swiped the fallen strands of hair from his face, his heart pounding in his chest and not only because of the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

After collecting himself, Keith noticed Shiro running alongside the cart. He held out a hand to Shiro then, a toothy grin on his lips. “I think we got them,” he called. “Nice—”

Blood shot from Keith’s shoulder as an arrow slashed through his clothes and skin.

There weren't four bandits. No, there had been five. Two carried swords, one an axe, and the last a flail. None of them, however, had been carrying a crossbow.

Eyes rolling back into his skull, the blacksmith fell back into the cart with a loud thud.

“No! Keith!” Shiro screamed and he leaped onto the cart, teeth gnashing together as he struggled to pull himself up on his own.

Arrows flew by his head and clattered threateningly against his armor but Shiro couldn't give a damn about them or the bandit attempting to shoot him down.

His attention— his drive— was solely on the man lying in a shaking heap on bloodied wood floor.

-

Dusk had fallen and Black trotted slowly down a dirt path, Shiro and Keith in tow in the cart pulled behind her. They were out of the forest’s hungry jaws now and away from the bandits who had tried to cut them down.

Keith sat curled to Shiro’s side, eyes forward as he stared at the castle just a few feet away. His hand sat snug against his bandaged shoulder, though the pain was only a sharp throb now instead of the searing agony it had been before. The arrow had thankfully only skimmed his shoulder, making a shallow cut that would probably leave a faint scar over time.

“Shiro?” Keith's voice was soft, tired. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Shiro hissed, his words coming out harsher than he meant. “You're hurt. I should've known better. I should've—”

“You protected me,” Keith argued, his eyes stabbing daggers into the defeated look on Shiro's face. “If it wasn't for you, I'd have a lot worse than a scraped up shoulder.”

When Shiro still didn't look at him, Keith sat up with a wince and tugged at Shiro’s tunic. He forced the man to look at him and when gray finally met purplish blue, Keith pressed his lips to Shiro’s.

A choked gasp of surprise left the knight’s lips but he didn't pull away. Instead, he closed his eyes and gently kissed back, his hands reaching up to cup Keith’s cheeks.

The two melted into each other, pouring their emotions into one another until their heads grew foggy and their hearts threatened to burst.

They pulled back after a moment, their breath mingling together as they panted for air.

“What was that for?” Shiro panted, shock still running through his veins.

Keith smiled. “You're supposed to kiss a knight when he saves you, right? Give him your favor?”

Shiro snorted. “I think you've been reading too many fairy tales,” he breathed.

They closed their eyes then, foreheads pressed together as their bodies shook with bubbling laughter.

Black whinnied at them, shaking her head as though she was laughing too and continued to carry them to the approaching castle marked with fluttering flags.

With the castle just up ahead, their journey was slowly coming to an end but it was thankfully only one of many more to come. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [morg-scribbles](https://morg-scribbles.tumblr.com/) on tumblr.


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